Electrolytic terminal



April s, 1924. 1,489,743

l G. DELIUS ET AL ELECTROLYTIC TERMINAL Original Filed March 29 1921 PIQ-1 1:' gli Y/Myod AT RNEYS Patehted pr. 13.224..

- STATS GEORGE DELIUS AND CHARLES P. TATRO, 0F SEATTLE, WASHNGTON.

ELECTROLYTIC TERBN Application tiled March 29, 1621, Serial No. Maese. Renewed September 26, 1923.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE DELIUs and CHARLES P. TATRO, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of the city of Seattle, in the county of King and State of l/Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrolytic Terminals, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in electrolytic terminals. s

The principal object is to provide a lterminal"or use particularly in the electrolysis of chlorine and which may be employed in connection with a processW for protecting piles such as shown in our -copending application Ser. No. 454,165, which will not be attached by the chlorine; liberated.

Another object of our invention is to provide a terminal which is easily and conveniently made and which is peculiarly adapted for the purpose of protecting piles by electrolysis.

Our invention comprises those novelv parts and combinations thereof which are shown in the accompanying drawings, described in the specification, and particularly defined by the claims terminating the same. f

In the accompanying drawings we have shown our invention in the. form which is now preferred by us.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a pile showing the present invention in use in connection therewith.

Figure2 is an axial section through a terminal member showing the manner of its connection to the complete terminal.

Figure 3 is a transverse section through the terminal member.

0ur process of protecting piles, briefly, is to place an anode of an electric circuit in close proximity with the pile as it stands in the water, and to place in the sea-water a cathode. Current being passed through the circuit, chlorine isv generated at the anode and it is this chlorme which destroys the teredo and otherv marine growth which is detrimental to the pile. Two -things are necessary in such an anode.. The terminal must be suciently exible to enable vit to be wrapped about the pile, and the complete terminal, including the terminal members which come in contact 4with the seawater and which5 are the generating points for the chlorine, must be of such material that the are not attacked by the chlorine liberatedb.I

The complete terminal as shown in Figure 1 consists of an insulated flexible conduct-or 1 having thereon at intervals terminal members 2, preferably ofvcarbon in the form of graphite. rl`he llexible conductor l may be wrapped about the pile, and when current is passed therethrough chlorine is liberated at the terminal members 2 which are' secured upon the flexible conductor l and in. electrical contact therewith. The flexible conductor may be an insulated cable or it might be expanded into an insulated sheath or sheathing which might be wrapped about the pile. Broadly, our invention comprises a. flexible insulated conductor and terminal members se.

cured thereon which are exposed to the sea- Water and in electrical contact with lthe in sulated conductor.

The conductor 1 shown in Figures 2 and 3 as consisting of metallic wires 10 covered with an insulated sheathing 11. At certain spaced points upon the cable 1, the insulation is cut away as is shown at 12.

At such points We place a terminal member, which is shown herein as formed of two complemental halt` conductors 20. These members 20 are each provided with a groove 21 in which the insulated conductor 1 fits. rl`he groove should be just large enough to receive the insulation 11 of the conductor 1. By coating the surface of the insulation 11 adjacent the cut away portions 12 with a protective material, such as shellac, and by coating the adjoining surfaces of the two half-conductors 20 similarly, when they are placed together about the conductor 1, the cut away portions 12 are sealed Within the terminal members '2. Plugs or seals 22, of non-corroding and preferably of non-conducting 'materiah may be placed about the outer ends of the grooves 21 and about the insulated conductor 1 further to seal the cut away portions from attack by the seawater.

The half-conductors 20 are provided with transverse holes 23 extending therethrough.

yThese are enlarged at their outer ends to form cups 24. A poured metal, such as babbitt, is poured into the holes 23, one end thereof being closed as by a plug 25 which may be of non-conducting material and not allected by the chlorine. rlhis is,

i, in intimate contact wit 10 and the conductors 20. A second plug 25 may be fitted int'o the cup 24 opposite that first plugged. y

We have found it desirable preliminarily to surface the strands 10 of the cut away portion with tin, lead, or solder, in order that the poured metal will more surely make electrical contact therewith. The terminal member thus `secured in place has all metallic parts sealed against exposure to the seawater. The conductors 20, are, however, in electrical contact with the strands 10 through which current is supplied thereto. The carbon is not corroded by the chlorine which is liberated, nor is it affected by exposure to the seawater.

If desired the Vexterior surface of the terminal members 2 may be coated very lightly with parafiin, by heating them and rubbing aratlin `thereover. The only apparent a vantage of this is to prevent absorption of moisture by the carbon of which the terminal members are formed. rThis ma be omitted if desired.

"Xhat we claim as our invention isz 1. An electrolytic terminal comprising a flexible insulated conductor, and terminal members secured at intervals thereon and electrically connected to the conductor.

2. An electrolytic terminal comprising a exible insulated conductor, the insulation bein cut away at intervals, and terminal mem ers secured upon and in electrical connection with the conductor at such points,

and sealed thereon to prevent contact between the conductor and the electrol te.

3. An electrolytic terminal for use `1n the generation of chlorine comprising an insulated conductor, and a terminal member of graphite secured thereon and electrically connected thereto.

4. An electrolytic terminal member for use in the eneration of chlorine formed of graphite, t e exposed surface thereof being aaearae substantially covered with a light flmof' parailin.

5. An electrolytic terminal member comprisin two longitudinally-separable com plemental conductors ada ted to fit about and be secured upon a cab e.

6. An electrol tic terminal member comprising, in com ination with an insulated cable conductor, two complemental conductors ada ted to fit about and be secured upon sai cable, the ends of said conductors having depressions surrounding the cable adapted to receive a sealing material.

7. An electrol tic terminal member comprising, in com ination with an insulated cable conductor, two complemental conductors adapted to fit about said cable and each having a groove for the reception of the cable, and means for securing together said members and for securing them upon the cable.

8. An electrolytic terminal member comprising, in combination with an insulated cable conductor, a pair of complemental conductors adapted to fit about said cable, and each having a transverse hole therethrough, a poured metal pin in said holes to secure the conductors together, and nonconducting plugs in the outer ends of said 1holes to protect said pin from the electrote. y9. An electrolytic terminal member com prising, in combination with an insulated cable conductor havinethe insulation removed at a given point, a pair of complemental conductors adapted to lit about said cable to span the bared conductor and each having a transverse hole therethrough, and a groove to receive said cable, a poured metal pin in said holes to secure the conductors together and to complete the electrical contact between the terminal conductors and the cable conductor, seals closing the outer ends of said holes to protect the metal from the electrolyte, and seals for sealingthe ends of said conductors about the cable.

10. An electrolytic terminal member comprising an insulated conductor, and a plurality of terminal members secured thereon and in electrical connection therewith.

Signed at Seattle, King County, Washington,'this 23rd day of March, 1911.

GEORGE DELIUS. CHARLES P. TATRO. 

